red roses like vines
by centralperks
Summary: It always comes back to smoky grey days and twisted vines - RoseScorpius


**A-N: **for Drishti, Skandar-Loves-Redvines, because it's her birthday, and she's my virtual sister. I love her, so go shower her with birthday PMs, okay? Happy Birthday, sister!

I'm not really experienced to writing RoseScorpius, as they're not my most favourite pairing, and Rose doesn't really have a characterization in my head yet. So, this is almost my introduction to her, of sorts. And I also cannot write angst at all, so. This is how it turned out!

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><p><strong>red roses like vines<strong>

but i couldn't stay away, i couldn't fight it  
>i'd hoped you'd see my face,<br>and that you'd be reminded **  
><strong>that for me, it isn't over  
><em>Someone Like You ; Adele<em>

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><p>Rain pounds down against the heavy grey sidewalk, making tracks against the cement. They trail down the lane with no sort of beginning or end, just long, wet lines that stop for no one. She admires the murky water briefly, before letting her feet carry her up the lane in front of a black iron gate.<p>

Gazing up at the dark clouds, and pulling her hood closer over her bright hair, she pushes the gate open with all her might, her fingers slipping through rods, and becoming even more soaked.

Hurrying up the stone path, she manages to get to the steps without tripping. She approaches the door that's the same shade of grey as everything else, except it looks a little darker somehow.

She hardly pays attention to the lovely red roses twisted like vines along the side of the manor, or the grand hanging baskets that brighten the place up. All sense of colour and brightness is lost on her at the moment. She raises a hand to knock on the door, and then waits on the cold stone steps, shivering under her sweater.

"Rose."

She turns and stares at the person who opened the door, his blonde hair perfectly in place and his steel grey eyes burning holes in hers. Straightening her shoulders, she lifts her chin and pushes back her hood. Her fire curls tumble out and makE a mess around her shoulders, but she really could care less.

He holds her gaze for a moment longer than she expected, and she sees her childhood and teenage years in those eyes, before he quietly ushers her in.

Rose moves out from the cold and into the comfort of the home, however, the only thing comforting about it is the warmth. The furniture is old and Victorian-like, gold banisters winding up and around the staircase like snakes, cold and untouchable. She looks around with disgust.

"Scorpius? Scorpius, where are you?" A faint voice calls from upstairs, dainty and bell-like. Rose imagines a respectable pureblood dressed in laced and standing at a five foot two frame.

Scorpius' face flashes with worry, and he calls back up the stairs. "In a minute!" He turns back to Rose, looking annoyed. "What are you doing here?"

Arching a brow, she crosses her arm in front of her chest. "Who was that?"

Scorpius looks at her, just stares. "My girlfriend." He repeats his previous question. "What are you doing here?"

"I came for answers." Rose's feet dig into the entrance carpet, her shoes and the ends of her jeans soaked through. She stares up at him, who's a good seven inches taller than she is, and she despises the authority and power he has over her.

"Answers on _what_, Rose? On _what_?" He says tiredly. "I haven't seen you in _three years,_ and you show up on my doorstep asking for answers? What is your _problem_?" He leans against the doorframe, looking as though he is seething with anger, although he's keeping it all in, ever the respectable pureblood.

But Rose knows just what strings to pull to make him tick, and always has. A skill she prides herself in, and uses well. Although if she were being completely honest, she'd know that he does the same to her.

"On _why_, Scorpius! For goodness sakes, you expect me to just sit around and wonder why you cut it off so suddenly? Don't you dare ever expect something like that, because you're never supposed to win!"

Her voice raises, and he casts a charm behind his back. She notices with some sort of satisfaction that he's standing upright now, his cool demeanor fading.

"You sat around doing that for three years, Rose,_ why_ is now any different? Tell me. Tell me why!" His voice raises to a shout, as does hers.

"God, I'm _sorry _I wasn't good enough, Scorpius! I sat for three years wondering what I did _wrong_, and I just _couldn't take it_ anymore! I'm sorry for hating tea parties and dressing up! I'm sorry that I tend to have _unattractive_ hangovers on the weekends, and I'm sorry for leaving old books around the house. I'm sorry I tend to fight you on your _stupid, idiotic_ views on life, okay? Is_ this_ what you want? For me to apologize for being myself so you can finally tell me that was all that made me a nuisance to you?" Rose took a breath. "Well, look. You finally got your wish."

They were screaming now, eyes burning and hurling twisted words at each other in order to make their point known to the other, but it always zoomed by the other's head. So they shouted louder.

"No, Rose, stop being so _stupid_! You think I want you to apologize for being exactly who you are? Is that what you think? It just didn't last, Rose, it just wasn't our shot!"

"Wasn't our shot?" She lowers her voice, dangerously low, as though just learning after all these years that soft whispers speak more to a person's soul, "You look at me, Scorpius Malfoy, you look at me straight in the eye and tell me it _wasn't our shot._

"You look at me and tell me you're happy with whoever is up there, waiting for you to go to her." She jabs her pointer finger into his chest. "You tell me you're happy with this stone manor, when I _know_ you're happier in a house by the sea, so the waves can calm you down every now and then."

"You tell me."

He avoids her gaze, preferring instead to look at the carpet below them. Her eyes draw into slits, and she breathes out her next words.

"You can't do it. You can't tell me. You were just a coward who was scared of what everyone else would think."

She turns to leave, her heart no less heavy because of her visit. But he grabs onto her wrist and fastens his fingers over it. She resists, but he's always been so much stronger than she is. Turning her around, he grabs her around the waist, and kisses her, fiercely. He pours desperation and longing into that kiss, and so many _I'm sorry's_ that she can't breathe. Locking her arms around his neck, she responds to what he gives, until they finally break away.

"What'll we do now?" She looks up at him worriedly. She was never a cheater, and she doesn't plan on starting.

"I don't know, Rose," he says. "I don't know."

Somehow, she wishes they could just go back to when they were childhood friends, and do it all over again from the beginning, with no mistakes. Except it's all so twisted now, and she's too confused to see anything past the rain.

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><p>you know, how the time flies<br>only yesterday was the time of our lives

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><p>"Five galleons that Albus will have Charlotte on his arm by next week," Scorpius mutters in Rose's ear. She shoves her hands in her pockets and sticks her red curls in her hood. The rest of the sixth year group pass by them, the two of them walking at a slow pace.<p>

"Please," she says softly so her cousin ahead won't hear her, "I'm betting on two days." The pair ahead of them are laughing and joking, obilivious to their friends behind them.

Scorpius smirks. "You're on."

They continue on their way to Hogesmeade. Rose groans and pulls her hood closer to her forehead.

"Still suffering from your hangover, then? How I pity you," Scorpius remarks dryly.

"Shut it, Malfoy," Rose says. "Just because you can hold your alcohol better doesn't mean we all can." She peeks to the side of her hood to study him.

"I'm just offering my sympathies. Do with them what you will," Scorpius comments cheerfully.

"Piss off," Rose mutters. She quickens her step. "Hurry up, it's bloody freezing out here."

Scorpius rolls his eyes. "Anything for you, my lady."

Rose's high tops make tracks in the snow, and the ends of her jeans soak up water from the puddles. She flinches as the soiled water seeps to her ankles. Just ahead, she spots Hogsemeade, and grabs Scorpius' hand. Breaking into a run, they burst into the Three Broomsticks, and slide into their favourite seats at the bar, just before Lily and her friend get there. Lily narrows her eyes and storms off, dragging her friend with her.

"She was totally checking you out," Rose says, leaning towards Scorpius.

"Which one?"

"Lily's friend, dimwit."

He shrugs. "They all do."

"Do not," Rose says.

"Do too."

"Do not."

"You're just jealous."

"Am I?"

"Incredibly so."

"Right. When there's something to be jealous of, give me a ring."

Scorpius mutters something darkly under his breath, and signals the bartender.

"Two Firewhiskeys, please," Rose cuts in. The bartender raises his eyebrows, but gets them their drinks anyways.

Rose swears under her breath. "Let's get out of here."

Scorpius raises his eyebrows. "Has wittle Wosie got a fear?"

Rose slaps his stomach. "No, Rose doesn't fancy a chat with Lysander Scamander."

Laughing out loud, he takes her arm and guides her off the seat. "Well, in that case!" He proceeds to drag her off the seat of the stool, towards Lysander, who's with a handful of Rose's cousins.

"Let me go, you prick!" Rose squirms out of her best friend's iron grip and moves quickly towards the exit. Pushing the door open, she bolts out the door and splashes her way through the murky puddles that litter the ground. Her jeans grow even more soaked, and her hood falls loose, drenching her curls.

She always sort of liked rainy days.

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><p><strong>A-N:<strong> Thank you to my twinny what stars are for being brilliant and looking this over for me, and generally just being fantastic. _Don't_ favourite without reviewing, please.


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